Friday, September 16, 2016

Renaissance Newsletter #20

Past
Faires, News, and Events

The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is purchasing land for
what might be its home starting in 2020

Mid-America Festivals, the company that operates the
Renaissance Festival near Shakopee, has purchased 150 acres of land…, according
to Deb Schaber, marketing and communications manager for Mid-America.

“We still need about 150 more acres in order to make it an
effective site, so we’re currently trying to buy more,” said Schaber. “If that
doesn’t happen, we’ll keep it for investment purposes or sell it off for
someone else. We are currently looking at other locations as well…”

The 150 acres that were just purchased was owned by the John
Marks family. The area is appealing because it has a combination of flat land,
which is necessary for parking, and trees to provide shade and ambiance, said
Schaber.

The Renaissance Festival has been operating at its 150-acre
location off Highway 169 and Highway 41 in Shakopee for 46 years, but
…excavating near the parking lot of the Renaissance Festival, making the site
less feasible for use as time goes on. Mid-America Festivals plans to keep the
festival there through the 2019 season…

A couple from St Leonards tied the knot in full medieval
garb on Saturday (August 27). Rather than opting for a traditional church
ceremony or going to the register office, Martin White, 53, and Sally Yuen, 45
decided to have their wedding at this year’s Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux
Castle, against a backdrop of jousting, battle seiges and medieval music…

The ceremony, attended by 18 guests dressed in medieval
costume, was held in the 15th century castle’s Elizabethan Room. There was a
banquet for guests and the couple, as well as surprise flowers laid on by
festival organisers. Martin said: “With a lot of help from the organisers of
the festival, the castle and the registrars from Eastbourne, our day was so
special. “There was a seige re-enactment taking place outside the castle during
the ceremony and this added a medieval flavour to our wedding.

Indie Spotlight:
‘Knights Of New Jersey’ Brings ‘The Office’ To The Renaissance Faire

Within every subculture there exist moments, characters, and
relationships that are ripe for parody, and for the world of the Renaissance
Faire, Knights of New Jersey puts
those moments on display. Creator Mike Hadley‘s web series about the men and
women who act as Medieval-era individuals is both a mocking satire of Ren Faire
nerds and a loving tribute to them…

While watching the series, it would be easy to assume Hadley
himself is a former Ren Faire employee, but that’s not the case. Instead, he is
a simple observer who has discovered all the fun characters who inhabit the Ren
Faire and rendered them in loving detail. “Some of them are very open-minded
about people who come to the fair, and then there’s other Rennies who are a
little more hardcore…”

His attention has paid off. The personalities in play here
are large and engaging, and the comedy is a delightful mix of high fantasy and
low Jersey. Come, thee, and check out Knights of New Jersey. If you like what
you see, you can also look at All’s
Faire, which was one of (if not) the first web series to take a comedic
look at the subculture.

The new
musical, titled Huzzah written by Tony Award-nominated songwriters Laurence
O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin.

Huzzah!, a new musical about the
world of Renaissance Faires written by husband-and-wife duo Laurence O’Keefe
and Nell Benjamin, had a reading at Williamstown Theatre Festival in August
starring Disaster! Tony nominee Jennifer Simard.

“Hopefully more cool things will
come of that,” O’Keefe told Playbill.com by phone. “We’re going to hopefully do
some big readings before Christmas, so I don’t want to give away too much! I
want to be tantalizing if that’s okay.”

Lakewood Lions Renaissance Faire (NJ)

…World Champion Jouster, Shane
Adams, host of History’s Full Metal Jousting and his troupe, The Knights of
Valour….

The park was bustling with story
tellers, musicians, singers, dancers, and villagers welcoming you to a festive
day of living history. The air wass filled with the scents and smells of food:
roasted turkey legs, fish ‘n chips, steak on a stick, dragon dogs, cheese
steaks, and funnel cakes.

Belly dancers, tribal dancers, and
gypsy dancers appeared at the caravan stage.

On the main stage and throughout
the village were sword swallowers, comedians, magicians sword fighters,
wizards, jugglers, stilt walkers, poets and those who will provide merriment
for all ages…

Lake Augusta
Renaissance Festival(PA)

…For the everyday festival-goer, Robert Roush… said
inexpensive yet effective costumes can be created using ordinary clothing.

“There’s some simple things you can do, and all you’d have
to do is throw on a pair of sandals and you look like you walked out of Robin
Hood,” he said.

For women, Roush suggested matching a simple white lace top
with a long peasant skirt. Men can also easily re-create the peasant look by
donning a farmer’s shirt with a pair of brown pants and popping on a
Renaissance-era hat. An easy friar look can be achieved by wearing a simple
household or choir robe and tying it with a piece of rope, he said.

“All of a sudden I look like I’m from a bygone era,” he
said.

Festival-goers who are lacking even the basics or are
seeking a more authentic look could stop by a booth near the entrance hosted by
Ben’s Costume Closet and pick up some grab-and-go costume items…

Roush said a costume is not required to attend the festival
but encouraged because it adds to the fun…

Theatrics of all sorts are welcome at the festival, and
Roush said local theater groups sometimes come as audience members and add to
the excitement with impromptu performances….

Maryland Renaissance Festival

In its 24th year, and thought
to be the largest of its kind in the UK, the event took place from August 27 to
29. People enjoyed a range of activities and entertainment, such as jousting;
falconry; daily grand parades, battles and an evening torch-lit procession; six
stages with daily theatre, music, dance, storytelling and more; and hundreds of
craftsmen, traders and workshops, such as wood weaving, blacksmith forging,
calligraphy, brass rubbing, candle making, and stone carving. There was a
four-course banquet in the castle’s grand ballroom.

Other attractions include an
archery tournament, battle siege and medieval music. For children there is
Kid’s Kingdom with circus skills workshops, dragon puppet shows, castle
carriage rides and magicians…

For people wanting to make a
whole weekend of it there is camping and glamping, or you could even live like
a King or Queen and sleep in a Herstmonceux Castle room for the night
overlooking the moat and beautiful gardens…

Mishawaka's
Kamm Island Park was transformed into the Kingdom of Kamm for Michiana's 6th
annual Renaissance Festival, and last for two days only.

There
are four different themed areas inside the 7 1/2 acre Kingdom:The Medieval Era, The Golden Age of Privacy,
the Time of the Vikings, and a Fairytale Storyland.

Each
area has their own different shows, re-enactments, games and vendors for
visitors to enjoy.

Jon
Zook started the festival six years ago.His favorite part is watching all of the children in attendance, pretend
that they're princesses and knights.This is the first year the festival will have jousting demonstrations…

Hear
ye, hear ye. The fifth annual Day of Change Renaissance Faire is making its way
back to Foster Park. The event will take attendees on a trip back in time as
the Empire of Chivalry and Steel will recreate the Middle Ages,…

There
was food, entertainment, games, prizes, merchants, candle dipping, a
blacksmith, and more..,

This
year the event expanded to include performances from the Belarus-based band
Stary Olsa and a second theater company, but will still maintain the fun and
educational spirit of the event, Assistant Director Spencer Shattuck said.

“It’s
cool that Utah is excited about this,” Shattuck said. “I think as we go on,
this being our fifth year, we find more and more people that have a lot to
offer with education, music and art.”

Shattuck
was actually interested in starting his own festival when he was invited to the
first Utah Renaissance Faire by its director, Richard Thurman, and founder five
years ago. He said he wanted to get involved after attending the event….

…
A court of Lords and Ladies in full outfit—petticoats and collars—paraded
to-and-fro between the royal tent and the half-timber towers of the front gate.
Knights in full leather, chain mail, and plate armor grappled in the jousting
field. Even the paying visitors braved the heat in wool cloaks and fur wraps.

The
cashier at the crepe stand must have been no older than sixteen. She wore green
eye-shadow, a brown, felt, lace-up vest over a frilly peasant dress, and
corn-row braids on the just the right side of her blond head. So, sort-of
renaissance-y. In this way she fit in with much of the rest, where decoration
depended as much upon historical accuracy as fantasy and budget. The Red Dragon
Pub was really a beer garden with a fence around it. Canvas cubicle shops sold
everything from steel swords to paper parasols. Costumes ranged in authenticity
from hand-embroidered leather to LED fairy wings..

I
looked forward to Cirque du Sewer, supposedly the world’s one-and-only acrobat,
cat and rat performance. At the hottest hour of the afternoon, acrobat Melissa
Arleth wore her black bloomers with red polka dots and a matching corset over a
red peasant top. Her hair was wound up in two buns, like rat ears. Sweat
hovered on her face as she performed splits, handstands and walked the slack
line. Pad Kee Meow, the acro-cat, reluctantly balanced on Arleth’s head,
desperately panting. Of the acro-rats, only sprightly Bubonique could be coaxed
off her chilled sleeping pad to run the gauntlet.

The
knights! I was friends with a few of the knights—they throw awesome,
Viking-themed birthday parties—, so I made sure to show up early and secure a
front row seat on the bleachers for their jousting contest. The knights were
divided into four teams representing England, France, Spain and Germany, and
one knight from each team competed on horse, doing everything from chopping at
rotten cabbages nailed to a post, throwing spears at targets on hay bales, spearing
wicker hoops with their swords, and, of course, jousting. In between these
events, ground-fighting knights squared off with swords, spears, daggers…

dance.

I
cried myself hoarse, cheering, “Vive la France!” I winced at the bang of lance
impacting shield. I had to concede that Spain’s rider the best, because of how
precisely he sliced those cabbages in half. Back in time, people came from
far-and-wide, and in their best costumes, to brave the heat and cheer on these
exact same games. In my frilly skirts, I could be the Medieval Italian peasant
girl Berenice for the day. Don’t mind my cellphone or rose-tinted sunglasses.
They’re magic from the fairies.

Gold Coast Renaissance Faire (Australia)

…Described as “an impressive time travel experience in a
brilliant sea of colour and excitement”, the event will feature over 50
costumed performers that will mingle with visitors and address them in the
manner of Elizabethan England.

The event will take place over two full days and will
feature an array of live entertainment including jousting, horse archery,
swordplay, live theatre, pirate adventures and parades.

Sword Fighter is a historical fencing club located on the
Gold Coast. They aim to produce world class sword fighters by drawing upon
documented historical resources such as the longsword and rapier.

Co-founder and instructor of Sword Fighter Alex Roberson
said they had big plans for the Renaissance Faire this year.

“Not only will we be putting on demonstrations, we will also
be running lessons on sword fighting for the public,” Alex said…

The Renaissance Faire will be open to all ages, and will
also feature craft stalls, food and drink outlets, costume contests, pony
rides, and a fairy garden…

“Renaissance and medieval culture is very popular right now
and it’s great that Gold Coasters won’t have to travel to capital cities to
experience it.”

The Renaissance Faire is a family-friendly event and will be
held at the Robina City Parklands from October 2-3 (the Queen’s Birthday
weekend)…

Mike
Hamilton has been doing a magic show at the Utah Renaissance Faire since the
first year. Outside of the event, Hamilton performs for schools and corporate
trainings and uses magic to teach a message about topics like bullying and
safety.

“Usually
I’m just Mike Hamilton,” he said. “But at the Renaissance Faire, we dress up in
the time period clothes and we talk funny like they did.”

Hamilton
said performing at the Renaissance Faire gives him a chance to inspire and
teach people like he enjoys doing but gives him a chance to use a different
twist…

Each
year Hamilton is able to perform magic and talk to about 75,000 students, which
is something he said he loves doing. He uses the awe-inspiring aspect of magic
tricks, the moment when the magic actually happens, to teach, motivate and
encourage people to make important life changes.

At
the Utah Renaissance Faire, Hamilton does three shows — two on Friday and
one on Saturday — where he incorporates cannonballs, fire and birds into his
act.

…The
owner and operator of American Fencers Supply, Porter is also known in the
North Bay for his many years as an actor at the Heart of the Forest Renaissance
Faire in Novato, where he played a colorfully crude pig farmer. He also
provided fencing equipment for the fair's popular fencing academy attraction.
Porter had been operating the fencing-supply business from his former home in
Pacifica until just weeks before the Clayton fire….

All
but one house on their cul-de-sac was destroyed. In addition to losing the
house and a lifetime of belongings, Porter's workshop and warehouse—containing
his entire stock of fencing equipment—was also lost. The website for the
business now bears a tiny statement: "Closed until further notice due to
Clayton fire."

Porter
has served the U.S. fencing team as its chief armorer for over 18 years, with
the Brazilian games marking his third Olympics. The armorer is the one in
charge of maintaining the team's equipment, which is a bit more complicated
than just polishing swords.

"Fencing
is electronic nowadays," Porter explains. "When one opponent scores a
touch, an electronic sound goes off. Being the armorer means that if that sound
doesn't happen, I did something wrong."

A
team of friends, fencing enthusiasts and folks from the Renaissance and Dickens
fairs have launched a fundraising campaign to help the Porters with the goal of
raising $100,000 to rebuild their home and business. They had no insurance. The
U.S. fencing team has already contributed $2,000…

An
upwardly mobile former “pirate” who is now part of the royal court, Shawn
Howland usually is cheering on the bad guys when it comes time for jousts at
the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival near West Newton…

Howland,
41, is in his seventh year as a cast member with the festival that depicts a
world combining the European milieu of the early 16th century with a few
fanciful elements such as fairies and an invisible unicorn.

Following
previous appearances as a member of the king's guard, a Scottish lord, a shire
deputy and a pirate captain, Howland has portrayed Admiral Howlin' Mad Jack
Howland, warden of the Cinque Ports, for four years…

For
Howland, the Renaissance festival provides the perfect outlet for his lifelong
interest in acting.

“I've
been involved in performance since I was 3,” he said, noting it's a skill
passed down by his parents, who appeared in community theater and on the
professional stage.

College
studies on a vocal performance scholarship and a stateside stint in the Army
have taken Howland from his native Connecticut to New York City, Washington,
D.C., Texas and Arizona, where he attended his first Renaissance-themed event
as a patron.

Settling
in Western Pennsylvania in 1998, he became involved with theater groups in
Greensburg and Pittsburgh. He continued his education at Seton Hill University
and auditioned there for the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival cast…

Howland
is “very interactive. He's always out and about and making people at our
festival feel a part of what we're doing,” said Jim Paradise, vice president
and director of marketing for Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Festivals, which
operates the Pittsburgh event.

Howland
said his “Mad Jack” character has allowed him to be involved in all levels of
society portrayed by the festival cast. As an admiral, he is a member of the
royal retinue and has the power to rule on mock court cases. But he pointed out
that the character began as a pirate from the lower classes…

Howland
may be best known to many for his work at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival,
but it's not his only gig. Joining the community of vendors, he's traveled as
far away as Texas to sell kilts at other renaissance events.

Early
this year, he teamed with Matt Hughes of Pittsburgh, whom he met at the
Pittsburgh festival, to perform Celtic tunes and sea shanties as the musical
duo Crossed Cannons. They've appeared at the Enchanted Lakes Renaissance Faire
and Marketplace in Angola, Ind., and at a venue in upstate New York. They're
hoping next to enter the recording studio, Howland said.

Howland
noted the immersive, improvisational nature of the Renaissance festival is what
makes it so appealing for attendees and cast members…

The
J. Paul Getty Museum plans to acquire Virgin with Child, St. John the Baptist,
and Mary Magdalene (about 1530-40) by Parmigianino (Italian, 1503-1540), one of
the most celebrated painters of the Italian Renaissance. Extremely
well-preserved, the painting is a supreme example of the artist’s mature
Mannerist style and represents sixteenth-century painting at its finest.

Francesco
Mazzola, better known as Parmigianino—a nickname derived from his native town
of Parma—is one of the greatest Italian painters, draughtsman, and printmakers
of the sixteenth century. During a career that lasted only two decades, he
executed a wide range of work, from small panels for private devotion, to
large-scale altarpieces and frescoes, to brilliantly executed portraits. Few
painters had a greater influence on the art of their century, and his
intellectual and elegant style spread far and wide, despite his very brief
life.

The
unconventional iconography of this painting typifies Parmigianino’s innovative
work: the Christ Child turns from the Virgin Mary to embrace his young cousin,
John the Baptist, whose hands are joined in prayer. Mary Magdalene holds the
Christ Child under his arms while looking back at the Virgin. Intended for
private devotion, the intimate religious subject exhibits Parmigianino’s
characteristic polished and enamel-like paint surface and exquisitely rendered
details; the lush landscape, elaborate hairstyles of the two women, interplay
of hands, and still life with the jewels of Mary Magdalene enhance the
transcendent beauty of the composition. Parmigianino executed the painting on
paper laid down on panel, a unique feature in his surviving work, and one which
reflects his accomplishment as a draughtsman.

“Pope
Clement VII hailed Parmigianino as ‘Raphael reborn,’ and his style was
extremely influential during the course of the sixteenth century,” says Davide
Gasparotto, senior curator of paintings at the J. Paul Getty Museum. “This
painting, with its impeccable provenance and exceptional state of preservation,
shows the artist at the peak of his maturity.”

The
painting complements a number of the Getty’s existing Italian Renaissance
paintings, including

Head
of Christ (about 1530) by Correggio (about 1489-1534), and

The
Rest on the Flight into Egypt with St. John the Baptist (about 1509) by Fra
Bartolomeo (1472-1517) and works by Giulio Romano (before 1499 – 1546),
Sebastiano del Piombo (1485-1547) and Jacopo Pontormo (1494-1557).

…Over
the past few years different researchers and historians have shown how
Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel contains numerous codes and hidden
messages that tantalize art historians, scientists and the general public. Of
most interest is in understanding why the codes have been inserted and what the
real purposes are.

For
example, a few years ago researchers, using imaging equipment, discovered that
the depiction in ‘God Creating Adam’ in the central panel on the ceiling was a perfect anatomical illustration of the human brain in
cross section.

In addition, in the painting ‘The Separation
of Light from Darkness’ in the center of God’s chest contains an anatomically
precise depiction of the human spinal cord and brain stem.

Adding to the run of mysteries, new analysis suggests
that Michelangelo may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy
when painting the chapel's ceiling….

Medieval Paintings at
the Heart of a Lawsuit That Reflects 2oth Century History

Adam & Eve, by Cranach the Elder

In the early 1900s, Adam and Eve were owned by an
aristocratic Russian family, but were seized after the 1917 Russian revolution
by the Soviet regime. In 1931, the Soviets sold the Cranach at a Berlin auction
to Dutch-Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker. When Germany invaded Holland,
Mr Goudstikker fled, leaving behind more than 1,000 artworks.

No less an art collector than Hermann Goering, the Third
Reich's second-in-command, grabbed Adam and Eve for his country estate near
Berlin. After the war, Allied forces recovered the painting and returned it
with other art works to the Dutch government.

On a parallel track, Mr Goudstikker, the Dutch-Jewish art
dealer, was killed in an accident while fleeing the Nazis, leaving behind a
son, Edward von Saher. The latter married Marei Langenbein, a German ice
skater.

At this point, the Russian nobleman reappeared and reclaimed
the works, which he sold in 1971 to Norton Simon for his museum.

Mr and Mrs Von Saher
moved to Connecticut. After the death of her husband, Marei von Saher entered
the court battle in the late 1990s to recover the Cranach painting, taken from
her late father-in-law Jacques Goudstikker…

Five hundred years ago a monk in a backwater town at the
edge of Germany took on the most powerful men in Europe—the Holy Roman Emperor
and the Pope—and he won. Martin Luther’s Reformation ranks among the most
successful religious movem ents in history, altering western society and
culture forever, and was a testament to his creative use of communications,
notably rapidly evolving print technology, to promote his views.

To mark the historic anniversary of Luther posting the
Ninety-Five Theses to the church door in Wittenberg in 1517, Word and Image:
Martin Luther’s Reformation , a new exhibition opening at the Morgan Library
& Museum on October 7 , explores the evolution of his movement and its
triumphant propagation in text and art. The exhibition will remain on view
through January 22.

Word and Image includes more than ninety objects,
highlighted by one of the six existing printed copies of the Ninety-Five
Theses, and nearly forty paintings, prints, and drawings by the celebrated
German Re naissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. Also on view will be
Luther’s manuscript draft of hi s famous Old Testament translation, sculptor
Conrad Meit’s exquisite statues of Adam and Eve, and over thirty of Luther’s
most important publications. The majority of the works in the show are loans
from German museums and have never before been exhibited in the United
States.

Martin Luther (1483–1546) was raised in Eiselben, Saxony.
His father Hans Luder (later changed by Martin) came from a wealthy farming
family, and Margaretha Lindemann, his mother, was from a middle-class
background. Hans was a respected and influential mining operator in Mansfeld.
The family was quite prosperous judging from the size of their home and the
material found there through archaeological digs.

Martin was sent to the best schools and brought up in a
world structured by Christianity. Devotion was expressed through daily prayers
and performing a set of prescribed rituals or good works (attending Mass, going
to confession and on pilgrimage, buying indulgences). Artworks, books, and all
manner of visual material focused piety on the active presence of the divine in
daily lives. The fear of sin was real. There was a constant need to seek the
aid of Christ and the saints to save you from the fires of Hell. This was the
world Martin was born into.

II. Indulgences and the Ninety-Five Theses

Martin Luther was not the first to speak out against the
sale of indulgences, which were customarily prayers or fasts undertaken to
reduce punishment and seek forgiveness for sins, but in time evolved into the
payment of fixed sums of money attached to various offences. Many at the time
thought that the practice of purchasing salvation was an abuse of faith and
merely a way to fill papal coffers. Through his groundbreaking lectures on the
Bible at the University of Wittenberg, Luther came to doubt the validity of
indulgences and other Church practices that were not explicitly supported by
Scripture.

In 1517, Luther summarized his views on how to reform the
church in his landmark Ninety-Five Theses, which he boldly nailed to the church
door at Wittenberg Castle, as would be done for any other university
announcement. The heading of Luther’s Theses states that they were a series of
points for a university debate on the scriptural validity of the practice of
selling and buying indulgences.

Luther’s criticisms partly reacted to a popular notion that
buying an indulgence was akin to a ‘get out of jail for free’ card. The
disputation never happened, however, as news of Luther’s criticisms reached his
ecclesiastical superiors, both through Luther’s own actions and the fact that
the theses were printed and distributed in single-sheet broadside and pamphlet
editions. In addition to two broadside editions, the Theses also appeared in
quarto (pamphlet) format from a press in Basel, nearly 450 miles away.

The printing press helped Luther’s words spread far beyond
Wittenberg, which turned a local university debate into an international event.
In this case, it is both Luther’s words and their method of distribution that
are important to understanding how the Reformation happened. We do not know how
many copies of the Ninety-Five Theses were originally printed—perhaps 100 or
less for each edition—but today only 6 copies of the broadsides exist and 15 of
the quarto.

III. Luther Goes to Trial

Luther willingly submitted his Theses and other writings to
his superiors. However, arguing against centuries of Church tradition, even
when claiming the Bible as primary source material, was dangerous. Ultimately,
Luther was called before Emperor Charles V and the full assembly of imperial
nobles at the Diet of Worms in 1521 to defend himself and his publications
against the charge of heresy. Both in his trial and his dealings with the pope
and emperor, Luther stood firm in his conviction that all religious doctrine
and practice should be based upon Scripture and that everyone was entitled to
share in the grace of God.

While his famous statement, “Here I stand. I cannot do
otherwise,” is a later interpolation, it nonetheless perfectly encapsulates his
conviction that what he wrote was religious and secular-themed subjects, and
designs for hundreds of woodcuts for book illustration.

IV. Luther’s Translation of The Bible

After leaving Worms, Luther was ‘kidnapped’ by his friends
and taken to Wartburg Castle to protect him from the emperor. Artist Albrecht
Dürer, a strong adherent to the Lutheran movement, feared that Luther was dead.
Removed from the demands and dangers of the outside world, however, Luther now
had uninterrupted time to focus on his most important endeavor: translating the
Bible into German. Scripture held ultimate authority for Luther, and he
recognized that the doctrine lay in the original Hebrew text of the Old
Testament and Greek of the New Testament rather than in the Latin Vulgate or
existing German versions. To this end, he wanted a clear and accurate
translation of the Bible available in the popular tongue, so that it could be
easily understood by the common man.

Luther thought that the printing press was God’s greatest
gift for the spreading of the Gospel, and he employed the relatively new
technology to print and disseminate his Bible in German.

V. Art of the Reformation

Contrary to popular opinion, Luther was not against art. He
thought that religious imagery was of the utmost importance when it supported
Scripture. Fortunately for Luther, he lived down the street from Lucas Cranach
the Elder, the court painter of the electors of Saxony. The two men developed a
very close personal relationship, and Cranach was instrumental in crafting
Luther’s public image. Due to his rapid and prolific production, Cranach was
known as pictor celerrimus, the
fastest painter. In addition to creating the famous images of Luther, the
artist also produced portraits of his Reformation colleagues as well as
Protestant and Catholic dignitaries, works onreligious and secular-themed subjects, and designs for hundreds of
woodcuts for book illustration. Art in Northern Europe in the early 1500s st
ood at the bridge between medieval and modern conceptions of the individual and
religion, and this imagery conveyed Protestant ideas to a wide public in tandem
with Luther’s own words.

VI. Spreading the Word

The printing press revolutionized mass communication, and
Luther’s message likely would have fallen flat had it not been for the new
technology. From the dissemination of his Ninety-Five Theses to the intended
promotion of specif ic sermons and theological arguments, the Reformation was
as much a product of the printing press as it was Luther himself. Every aspect
of the Reformation came out in print. The two sides unleashed scathing
polemical texts on each other, both in short pamphlet format and single-leaf
broadsides with eye-grabbing illustrations that clearly conveyed their message.

Luther had to put the Reformation into words, from his
composition of key theological points, such as the Augsburg Confession, to guides
on how to perform a church service and appropriate church music. The
Reformation is not only a reflection of Luther’s message, but also the medi um
that communicated that message.

VII. Luther Archeology

A series of archeological digs in 2003–2008 at locations
connected with Martin Luther uncovered a treasure trove of material related to
the reformer and his family. Never before had Luther’s material culture been so
well documented, and the finds radically altered some perceptions about his
life. Coins, jewelry, tablewares, and toys reco vered from his parents’ house
prove that—unlike Luther’s claimed later in life—his family was actually rather
affluent.

Digs at the Luther House, Cranach’s workshop, and other
sites around Wittenberg uncovered early sixteenth-century home décor that
reveal how Luther and his colleagues liv ed. The finds from the Luther House
include a vast array of decorative tiles, common local as well as imported
housewares and glasses, and, not surprisingly, a large amount of writing and
book paraphernalia, all of which help us to understand the home life of Martin
Luther.

Music

Medieval Music of
Belarus

Stary
Olsa is a medieval Belarusian music band that is currently touring the United
States. Belarus, is a country that sits between Poland and Russia…

The
band was founded in 1999 by Zmicier Sasnouski and includes six musicians. The
name of the band comes from a brook in the western part of the Mahiliou region
of Belarus.

The
repertoire includes Belarusian folk ballads and martial songs, national dances,
works of Renaissance composers, canticles of the 16th and early 17th centuries,
and other music from the medieval to early baroque periods…

The
band uses many forgotten instruments including the Belarusian bagpipe, lyre,
gusli (a Baltic psaltery or harp), svirel (reed pipe), birch bark trumpet and
other instruments.

The
purpose of the band is to reconstruct musical traditions of the Grand Duchy of
Lithuania, of which Belarus was the main cultural and geopolitical part in the 13th
through 18th centuries. Band members mix early Belarusian instrument sounds
with all-European medieval instruments such as lute, rebec, cister, flute and
Arabic drum.

A
royal visit is being celebrated in Scotter (England) next month. King John
visited Scotter in 1216 and 800 years later, to mark the occasion, the art and
textile groups in Scotter Village have combined forces to create an
embroidered, wall panel. The panel will be unveiled at a special medieval
musical evening to be held at the Sun & Anchor in Scotter, being led by a
costumed medieval band - de Mowbray’s Musicke. They play medieval music on a
wide range of period instruments and will keep to King John’s era for this
special event…

…The
missionary and bishop Liudger is a much-admired figure in western German
Catholicism. Born in the year 742 in Utrecht, in the present-day Netherlands,
Liudger was educated as a theologian in England and sent by King Charlemagne to
Germany. In 799, at age 60, he founded a Benedictine monastery in Werden, near
the city of Essen.

Although
St. Liudger died in 809, songs in tribute to him turned up only three to four
centuries later, pointing to a long tradition of Liudger veneration in this
part of Germany.

Our
concert features songs written for the holy mass in the 12th und 13th
centuries, the era of late Gregorian chant. In a highly virtuosic style, they
stand out for their unique melodies and wide tonal range.

Specializing
in Gregorian chant and medieval music, the ensemble Vox Werdensis is led by its
founder Stefan Klöckner, who recently discovered the music for this program…

2nd
Annual Renaissance Faire in Anza Oct. 15 will include jugglers, musicians,
martial art demonstrations, belly dancers, local artist exhibits, archery
lessons, face painting, shaved ice, delicious bakery goods, food, beer and many
vendors. For the children there will be jumpies, water slides and games.

Participants
singed up so far include: music by the High Country Conservancy artists and
Thompson kids; martial arts demos by Mike Patke and Mart Bergman with their
trainees; belly dancers by Dallas; Thimble Clubs baked goods; Tri-tip
sandwiches by Cahuilla Mountain Café; cotton candy and popcorn by Valley Gospel
Church; Kona Ice with shaved ice and drinks; Faith Archery demos; Big Dev will
have turkey legs, brisket sandwiches and beef ribs; Cottonwood Art Program will
provide Henna tattoos and tarot card readings; Anza Christian Fellowship with
face painting for children; the Jam Lady; jumpies and water slides by Darlene;
and Sterling Bits and Bobs, to name a few.

Garrison
said vendor booths are still available. For local Anza residents, booths are
$25 and for out of towners $40.

Faire
hours are 10:30am-6pm every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday holidays. Tickets are
$31 for adults (12+) and $16 for children ages 4-11. Children under 4 are free,
and parking is free. For special celebrations or group discounts, email info@kingrichardsfaire.net. The Faire is located at 235 Main Street (Rt.
58) in Carver, Mass. 02330, 508-866-5391.

…Traveling
back through centuries when knights and kings, maidens and wenches, minstrels
and jesters ruled the world, the festivities run from Friday, Oct. 7 to Sunday
Oct. 9, and feature various shows per day, more than 100 artisans, historical
reenactments and plenty of food and drink to satisfy the masses….

Darkhorse
Entertainment, LLC, is announcing the first annual Tennessee Pirate Fest to be
held on Columbus Day weekend in October. This family-friendly event will
be in Harriman at the Tennessee Medieval Faire site--just 30 miles west of
Turkey Creek. All are invited to the fictional pirate haven of Port Royale
in the Tortugas, circa 1700-1800’s. “The Pirates of the Caribbean movies
are popular, and acting like a pirate is fun for all ages. ARRR!” said
Barrie Paulson, VP-Manager & Entertainment Director.

Festival
organizers are seeking quality craft and food vendors to fill the
village. Vendor applications and guidelines can be downloaded from the
website www.TNPirateFest.com under the vendor tab. The
application deadline is September 1st.

The
Tennessee Pirate Fest will take place October 8-9-10 from 11a-6p ET--rain or
shine. Ticket prices will be $13.00 for ages 13 and up, $8.00 for ages 5
to 12, and free for ages 4 and under. Parking will be free, and tickets
will be available for purchase at the gate with cash or credit. Onsite
camping for patrons is not included, but public campgrounds and hotels are
nearby. The festival is located at 550 Fiske Road, Harriman, TN.
For Faire rules, guidelines, and more information, please visit www.TNPirateFest.com and “like” them on
Facebook.

TEXAS

Texas
Renaissance Festival gears up for 42nd season of magical weekends

The
Fall is near and with it comes the enchantment of the Texas
Renaissance Festival,
the nation’s largest Renaissance theme park, bringing eight themed weekends of
food, fun and 16th century magic, from October 8 through November 27,
2016. This season’s themed weekends include Oktoberfest, 1001 Dreams, All
Hallows’ Eve, Pirate Adventure, Roman Bacchanal, Barbarian Invasion, Highland
Fling, and Celtic Christmas. Kids ages 12 and under get in free every Sunday.

Established
in 1974, the Texas Renaissance Festival attracts over half a million visitors
each year to its nearly 60-acre New Market Village and 200-acre Fields of New
Market Campground in Todd Mission, Texas, just one hour north of Houston. The
Festival’s immersive experience features world-renowned live entertainment,
works by master artisans and craftspeople, award-winning food and drink,
hand-powered rides and games, and over 100 interactive characters throughout
the season.

“People come from all around the world for
this experience. Our loyal patrons, actors and merchants who have been
here from the beginning will tell you it is a magical, inviting experience for
people of all ages,” says Terre Albert, general manager of the Festival, says.

There
are over 400 shoppes offering handmade items such as beeswax candles and soap,
armory, clothing, art, jewelry and more can be found nestled between areas that
bustle with the energy of an Italian Village, a German Beer Garden or a
Florence market. Blacksmiths, glassblowers, hawkers, fairies, pirate kings and
beer maidens stay true to character, bringing to life the spirit of the Texas
Renaissance Festival. A new addition to the festival grounds is Titania’s Bower
Stage which will host a new act called “The Living Foundation”, a tale of a
magical water statue brought to life. In addition, the new stage will
host the School of Dance.

Couples
looking to wed need look no further. The Texas Renaissance Festival has become
a major wedding destination and Festival organizers expect another record
number of wedding ceremonies to take place on festival grounds this season,
with a Mass Vow Renewal slated for Sunday, November 6, 2016 at 2:30 p.m.
interested couples can get more information by calling 1-800-458-3435.

After
an exciting day feasting on the finest foods fit for a king, interacting with
the festival’s entertaining and noble characters and wandering through hundreds
of shops selling unique crafts and treasures, guests can continue their
festival experience at the Fields of New Market Campgrounds, 200 acres of
sprawling camping space for RVs, trailers and traditional tent campers,
conveniently located next to the Festival grounds.

“Since
last year’s record-breaking season, we have been busy planning new ways to
attract more patrons and their families to our campgrounds,” says Albert.
“Camping is a big experience out here and we have made sure there is something
for everyone.”

Festival
organizers have brought in new on-site food vendors, including Texas Fat Boyz,
to offer hot, delicious menu items like Turkey legs, hamburgers and chili dogs
from Festival close into the wee hours. A margarita truck will offer frozen
margaritas to campers 21 years of age and older, and the Festival’s
newly-renovated on-site convenience stores, Drag-on Inn and Drag-on Buy, will
offer an array of camping products, snacks and beverages, including beer, wine
and mead.

The
campgrounds have around-the-clock security and offer two professionally-managed
bonfires on Saturday nights – one in the early evening for families and kids,
and another later in the evening for the adult crowd. The campgrounds will also
feature three ticket kiosk booths located throughout the site so that campers
can avoid the ticket lines at the festivals entrance. A Quiet
Camping area is reserved for families and patrons to relax and enjoy a peaceful
evening after a non-stop day of festival merriment. To purchase tickets and for
more camping information, visit this link.
There is no limit to the number of tickets one can purchase.

Fan
favorite TRF After Dark, a costume gala for
guests 21 and older, will return to the Fields of New Market Campgrounds for
its second year of fun and fantasy. Each Saturday of the Festival, TRF After
Dark will offer patrons music and dancing, live entertainment, themed contests,
drinks, food and more from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.